Living with Lydia
Encyclopedia
Living With Lydia is a Singaporean
TV sitcom that was produced by MediaCorp
and aired on Channel 5 from 2001 to 2005.
as Lydia Lum, a popular Hong Kong
restaurateur/caterer and widowed mother to two children - 13 year-old son Jordan and 18 year-old daughter Apple - are forced to find a new locale when her Dim Sum
establishment is hit with a case of food poisoning after she hosted an event and is ordered by the authorities to close her business (she is labeled "Dim Sum killer" by her former patrons, even though she is unaware that someone falsely accused her so they can force her out of business).
This new locale happens to be Singapore
. This is because her late grandfather's best friend (referred to as Ah Kong) had written a will giving her half ownership of a house he had built thanks in part to his success in the seafood business - as well as the fact Ah Kong's life was saved decades before by Lydia's late grandfather.
However, when she arrives at the house, it is already occupied by Ah Kong's grandson, Billy B. Ong, who Lydia calls "Billy Bong". Billy prides his rise to the top of the ladder on promoting the company's specialty: fish balls. The presence of Lydia does not sit well with Billy at first but he does give in because it might be the only way to get Lydia to give up her part of the house. Additionally, her dim sum business brings in customers and clients for him.
Other characters include:
- Billy's son Max, an aspiring anime artist
- Rhonda Cheing, Billy's secretary who is trying to pursue Billy and sees Lydia's untimely arrival as a threat to her plans at winning Billy's heart, despite the fact that his wife, who ran out on him, would show up in the third season (Rhonda would later lose interest in Billy in the final season)
- Sulaiman Yusof, a former stuntman who now works as the maintenance man in Billy's company.
on The International Channel (later renamed AZN Television
) from 2003 to 2004 as part of the "Asia Street
" lineup. In April 2006, up until the network left the air in 2008, AZN bought the show back and was rerunning them three times a week due to popular demand, starting with the series' fourth and final season. It was also broadcast on TVB Pearl
in Hong Kong
and Jak TV in Indonesia
.
The 4th season of the series was rebroadcast on Singapore's Channel 5 in 2008 as a tribute to Shum, after her passing.
Billy Bong
The most noticeable and common gag during the show's run, Lydia always calls Billy B. Ong Billy Bong.
Ah Kong Picture Gag
Billy B. Ong often talks to a picture of his grandfather on the wall, referring to him as "Ah Kong" usually blaming him for some reason. This is seen in many episodes but most noticeably the first episode of the show.
Fishball Gag
Billy B. Ong likes to shorten the word "fishballs" to "balls" occasionally when talking. Since balls is also slang for testicles, the characters of the show often say the word in a comical context, such as, "Billy Bong, can I taste one of your balls?"
Shut Up Gag
Lydia repeatedly yells "Shut up!" or "Stop!" to stop the three children in the house from doing something. However, the children always carry on after she has left.
, in which "Living With Lydia" was up for "Best Comedy Programme" and "Best Comedy Performance by an Actress" for Sum for her hilarious portrayal of the series' feisty title character. Sum won in the latter category and it was the show's only win at the event http://archive5.mediacorptv.sg/wassup/interviews/view/270/1/.html.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
TV sitcom that was produced by MediaCorp
MediaCorp
Media Corporation of Singapore, better known as MediaCorp, is a group of commercial media companies in Singapore, with business interests in television and radio broadcasting, interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and film-making....
and aired on Channel 5 from 2001 to 2005.
Overview
Starring the Chinese-born actress/comedienne Lydia ShumLydia Shum
Lydia Shum Din-Ha, also known as Lydia Sum , was a Hong Kong comedienne, MC, and actress known for her portly figure, signature dark rimmed glasses and bouffant hairstyle. She was affectionately known to peers and fans as Fei-fei...
as Lydia Lum, a popular Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
restaurateur/caterer and widowed mother to two children - 13 year-old son Jordan and 18 year-old daughter Apple - are forced to find a new locale when her Dim Sum
Dim sum
Dim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates...
establishment is hit with a case of food poisoning after she hosted an event and is ordered by the authorities to close her business (she is labeled "Dim Sum killer" by her former patrons, even though she is unaware that someone falsely accused her so they can force her out of business).
This new locale happens to be Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. This is because her late grandfather's best friend (referred to as Ah Kong) had written a will giving her half ownership of a house he had built thanks in part to his success in the seafood business - as well as the fact Ah Kong's life was saved decades before by Lydia's late grandfather.
However, when she arrives at the house, it is already occupied by Ah Kong's grandson, Billy B. Ong, who Lydia calls "Billy Bong". Billy prides his rise to the top of the ladder on promoting the company's specialty: fish balls. The presence of Lydia does not sit well with Billy at first but he does give in because it might be the only way to get Lydia to give up her part of the house. Additionally, her dim sum business brings in customers and clients for him.
Other characters include:
- Billy's son Max, an aspiring anime artist
- Rhonda Cheing, Billy's secretary who is trying to pursue Billy and sees Lydia's untimely arrival as a threat to her plans at winning Billy's heart, despite the fact that his wife, who ran out on him, would show up in the third season (Rhonda would later lose interest in Billy in the final season)
- Sulaiman Yusof, a former stuntman who now works as the maintenance man in Billy's company.
Episode broadcasts
Episodes of Living with Lydia also aired the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on The International Channel (later renamed AZN Television
AZN Television
AZN Television promoted itself as "the network for Asian America". It was run by International Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. The channel’s programming targeted the fast-growing, young, affluent, English-speaking Asian American community...
) from 2003 to 2004 as part of the "Asia Street
Asia Street
Asia Street was the umbrella title for the International Channel's nightly three-hour prime-time block of shows geared towards Asian-Americans in the United States...
" lineup. In April 2006, up until the network left the air in 2008, AZN bought the show back and was rerunning them three times a week due to popular demand, starting with the series' fourth and final season. It was also broadcast on TVB Pearl
TVB Pearl
TVB Pearl is one of the two free television services in Hong Kong that mainly broadcast in the English language, the other being ATV World. It is owned and operated by Television Broadcasts Limited, and together with its sister Cantonese language station TVB Jade, is broadcast from TVB City at 77...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Jak TV in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
The 4th season of the series was rebroadcast on Singapore's Channel 5 in 2008 as a tribute to Shum, after her passing.
Episodes
| Season | Ep # | First Airdate | Last Airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 13 | November 8, 2001 | February 10, 2002 | |
| Season 2 | 13 | November 12, 2002 | February 18, 2003 | |
| Season 3 | 13 | September 30, 2003 | December 9, 2003 | |
| Season 4 | 13 | November 16, 2004 | February 8, 2005 |
DVD release
On April 29, 2008 PMP Entertainment in Malaysia released a DVD collection containing all 52 episodes, which includes subtitles in Chinese, in Region 3-formatted countries.Running Gags
This is an incomplete list of running gags used in the show.Billy Bong
The most noticeable and common gag during the show's run, Lydia always calls Billy B. Ong Billy Bong.
Ah Kong Picture Gag
Billy B. Ong often talks to a picture of his grandfather on the wall, referring to him as "Ah Kong" usually blaming him for some reason. This is seen in many episodes but most noticeably the first episode of the show.
Fishball Gag
Billy B. Ong likes to shorten the word "fishballs" to "balls" occasionally when talking. Since balls is also slang for testicles, the characters of the show often say the word in a comical context, such as, "Billy Bong, can I taste one of your balls?"
Shut Up Gag
Lydia repeatedly yells "Shut up!" or "Stop!" to stop the three children in the house from doing something. However, the children always carry on after she has left.
Opening Sequence
The entire opening sequence is animated. It starts in black and white with Billy B. Ong playing a song on the piano ("Those Endearing Young Charms", the series' theme song), followed by another clip of him eating a fishball. Billy then tries to push a fishball into his son Max's son, followed by a clip of Ronda brushing her hair and then moving closer to Billy. The song then stops, and a loud sound clip of Lydia shouting "Hi, Billy Bong" is heard. Lydia and her family then appear and fill the screen with color. Apple and Jordan then appear, and then some final shots with the entire cast of the show, before an animated Lydia appears again beside the show's title on an orange screen and laughs.Accolades
The series was nominated in two categories at the 2003 Asian Television AwardsAsian Television Awards
The Asian Television Awards is an appreciation to recognize and reward programming and production excellence in the Asian television industry. Held every December, the Awards draws about 1,400 entries each year from a wide range of broadcasters, including free-to-air TV stations and pay-TV...
, in which "Living With Lydia" was up for "Best Comedy Programme" and "Best Comedy Performance by an Actress" for Sum for her hilarious portrayal of the series' feisty title character. Sum won in the latter category and it was the show's only win at the event http://archive5.mediacorptv.sg/wassup/interviews/view/270/1/.html.
Controversy
During the series run, there were rumors that Shum and Chong were dating off camera, but given that Shum was 11 years older than Chong, both denied this, saying that they were friends.Syndication
In 2009, Galloping Films, an Australian based television and film distribution company, acquired the international rights to MediaCorp-produced programs, including Living with Lydia, for syndication outside of Singapore.Cast
- Lydia Sum - Lydia Lum
- Samuel Chong - Billy B. Ong
- Ng HuiNg HuiNg Hui is a Singaporan television actress. She is best known for her award-winning role as 'Tao Jie' in The Little Nyonya....
- Apple Lum - Joel ChanJoel Chan (actor)Joel Chan Shan-chung is a Hong Kong actor and singer, best known for his roles as Tsor-lun in the 2009 crime drama E.U. and So Ying-chun in the 2010 detective-fantasy period drama A Pillow Case of Mystery II.-Film:...
- Jordan Lum - Koh Cheing Mun - Ronda Cheing
- Terence Tay - Maxwell "Max" Ong
- Suhaimi Yusof - Sulaiman Yusof
Broadcasters
| Country | Alternate title/Translation | Year debuted | TV Network(s) | Weekly Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States United StatesUnited States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
2004 | AZN Television AZN Television AZN Television promoted itself as "the network for Asian America". It was run by International Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. The channel’s programming targeted the fast-growing, young, affluent, English-speaking Asian American community... |
Tuesday & Wednesday 2:30am EST North American Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... |
|
 Singapore SingaporeSingapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
2001 | MediaCorp TV Channel 5 MediaCorp TV Channel 5 MediaCorp Channel 5 or Channel 5 is a 24-hour free-to-air English and Malay language television channel based in Singapore.... |
Tuesday 8:30pm SST Singapore Standard Time Singapore Standard Time or Singapore Time based in Singapore uses a time zone eight hours in advance of UTC .- History :... |
|
 Hong Kong Hong KongHong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
2002 | TVB Pearl TVB Pearl TVB Pearl is one of the two free television services in Hong Kong that mainly broadcast in the English language, the other being ATV World. It is owned and operated by Television Broadcasts Limited, and together with its sister Cantonese language station TVB Jade, is broadcast from TVB City at 77... |
TBA | |
 Malaysia Malaysia |
2002 | TV3 TV3 (Malaysia) Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad or TV3 began broadcasting on 1 June 1984 as Malaysia’s first commercial television station. It is part of Media Prima Berhad group of companies. It now transmits opened broadcasting business private 24-hours a day, 7 days a week since 1 January 2010... |
Saturday 7:30pm MST Malaysian Standard Time Malaysia Standard Time or Waktu Piawai Malaysia or Malaysia Time is a standard time used in Malaysia. It is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and Coordinated Universal Time. The local mean time in Kuala Lumpur was originally GMT+06:46:48... |
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